Process of elevating liquids.



A. PRIESTMAN. PROCESS OF ELEVATING LIQUIDS.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 27, 1912.

Patented July 7, 1914.

"UNTTED SATES ALBERT PRIESTMAN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

PROCESS OF ELEVATING LIQUIDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 7, 1914.

Application filed. April 27, 1912. Serial No. 693,691.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT PRIESTMAN, asubject of the King of England, and a resi dent of Germantown, in thecity and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented anImprovement in Processes of Elevating Liquids, of which the follow-' ingis a specification.

It is the object of my invention to enable sewage, and like fluidscontaining solidmatter in suspension, to be lifted more economically andefficiently than has heretofore been possible. On the one hand, thecosts of installation, up-keep and operation must be considered, on theother, deterioration, and operative efficiency. A system that mayoperate at a higher hydro-dynamic efficiency, though of greater cost ofinstallation, may be wholly unsatisfactory and uneconomical because ofdeterioration and lack of operative efficiency.

The greatest difficulty met in systems of elevating sewage is thepresence, in such large quantity, of solid matter in suspension, whichmust pass through the lifting apparatus. This solid matter, if permittedto collect within the lifting devices, will increase the wear and tearand cause frequent stoppages, thereby reducing the efficiency andnecessitating constant manual atten tion with the additional costincident there to. The liquid portion of sewage, which 7 constitutes byfar the greater part, may be lifted with the greatest efficiency andeconomy by a pump, but the solids, if passed through the pump, willquickly collect therein and render it inefficient. The sewage may belifted by air pressure from an ejector without bringing any of the solidmatter in contact with the valves, or operative parts, but such systemsdo not have the best economical quality, because of the large amount ofliquid which must be handled.

In carrying out my invention I first separate the greater part of thesolid matter from the liquid, and then separately discharge the sludgeand separated liquid to the desired level. This enables me to use anordinary pump for raising and discharging the liquid, and an ejectoroperated by air pressure or other means for raising and discharging thesludge, or separated solid matter. The operation of the pump may theirrespective lifting devices, and methods for controlling the operation ofthe ejector independently of the accumulation of the liquid separatedfrom the sludge.

The drawing shows a diagrammatic arrangement of an apparatus for raisingsewage by the process. j

The sewage enters by the inlet pipe a and is discharged through theoutlet a into a well Z), preferably below a screen 1). While have showna comparatively small well I), it is to be understood that it may beenlarged to any extent necessary to effect the desired separation in thesewage supplied. Above the screen 7) is a passageway 0 into a well 0from the bottom of which a suction pipe 0 leads to a circulating pump d,from which the discharge pipe 0 leads to the main 0 From the bottom ofthe chamber 7) a pipe 9 leads to an ejector e, which, as shown, isoperated by compressed air, and from which the discharge pipe 6 leads tothe main 0.

I have shown an ejecting apparatus of the character shown and describedin Letters Patent 979,698, dated December 27, 1910, in which thecontents of the vessel 6 are discharged intermittently by measuredcharges of compressed air admitted to the vessel 6 through an air-pipe 1under the control of valve devices 79. In the apparatus shown in thatpatent the valve devices 19 are con trolled by air pressure through apipe leading from the vessel 0, but in the present instance they arecontrolled by air pressure through a pipe 7", leading from the air tank11 and having a connection f with the valve devices for controllingtheir operation in the manner desoribedin said patent. The

particular character of the valve devices or means for controlling thesupply of air to the ejector e is not, however, material to the presentinvention. The compressed air which is admitted to the ejector 6 underthe control of the valve device 79 is supplied by a pipe h from the airtank 7L.

i is an air compressor by which air under compression is accumulated inthe tank 71 through the pipe 2'". As shown the compressor z' is drivenfrom the pump (Z by a belt 71 j is an electrically driven motor beltedto the pump 01 and controlled by the switch 70.

m is a float in the well 0 having an operating connection van with theswitch is.

n is an air-bell in an upper extension a of the supply pipe a and isconnected by an air pipe F. with the valve device 1?.

o'is aspray pipe in the chamber 6 above the screen I) supplied by a pipe0 and controlled by a valve 3 which is operated by a float t in thechamber 6.

The operation of this apparatus is as follows: The sewage enters thechamber 72 through the inlet a below the screen 1). The solid matterfalls to the bottom, and the liquid, strained by the screen 12, passesthrough the opening 0 into the well 0. When the liquid in the Well a hasattained a predetermined level it lifts the float m and closes theswitch is putting the motor into operation to drive the pump (Z and aircompressor i. The pump 03 removes the liquid from the well c'anddischarges it through the pipe 0 to the main 0 or elsewhere, until thelevel of the liquid in c is again lowered to anextent sufiicient for thefloatm to open the switch 70 and stop the motor. Meanwhilet'hevcompressor 2' has been accumulating pressurein the tank h, and when.a pre-' tion of air is discharged through the. pipe 1 determinedpressure is attained a small porto the valve devices 19, actuating themto open and admit a charge of compressed air to the ejector e todischarge the sludge which has gravitated therein through the pipe 9from the chamber 6. As soon as the contents of the chamber 1) havefallen to a sufficient extent to operate the float t, 2'. a below thescreen 6, the valve .9 is opened and water is thrown by the spray-pipe 0upon the screen 5 to clean it. If the screen I) should become cloggedthe sewage will rise in the extension a and force air through the bell nand pipe f to actuate the valve 29 and admit a charge of air to theejector e and thus discharge the contents of the chamber The a paratusshown and described, however, orms the subject matter of ,myvapplicationNo. 779,4.11, filed July 17, 1913,

as-a division of this application. It is to be understood also that inspeaking sludge and liquid I do not mean that all liquid is tobeseparated from the solid matter, or that a perfect and complete sep-.

aration must take place. In actual operation a quantity of liquid willremain with the solids and pass through the ejector or to remove thegreater part of the solids from the liquid, so that the liquid may passthrough a pump or equivalent liquid-elevatr ing apparatus, with aslittle fouling of the working parts as possible. r

What I claim is as follows:

1. The method of elevating sewage and like fluids containing solidmatter in suspension, which consists in first separating part of thesolid matter "from the liquid, then separately raising the sludge andliq.-

'uids after separation to the desired level and controlling the raisingof the sludge and liquids by the liquid level. v

2. The method of elevating sewage and like fluids containing solidmatter in suspension, which consists in delivering the sewage to a wellat a low level, separating part of the solidsfrom the liquid in saidwell,

discharging the liquid into a second well,

withdrawing the separated liquid from said second well and dischargingit at a higher solids-elevating apparatus, but the object is i level,and discharging the separated sludge from the first well. q

3. The method of elevating sewage and like fluids containingsolid matterin suspension, which consists in delivering the I sewage :to a well at alow level,separating part of the solids from the liquid in said well,discharging the liquid into a second well, withdrawing the separatedliquid from said second well and discharging it at a higher level, andwithdrawing the separated sludge from the first well and discharging itat a higher level.

4. The method of elevating sewage and like fluids containing solidmatter in suspension, which consists in separating partof the solidsfromthe liquid, pumpingthe separated liquid and discharging it at ahigher level, discharging the separated sludge and automaticallycontrolling the discharge of the sludge by the liquid level.

The method of elevating sewage and like fluids containing solid matterin suspension, which consists in first separating part of the solidmatter from the liquid,

pumping out the separated liquid, ejecting the separated sludge by airpressure and controlling the air pressure by the level of the liqui Y 6.The method of elevating sewage and like fluids containing solid matterinsuspension, which consists in first separating part of the solid matterfrom the liquid, pumping out the separated liquid, automatically controb8. The method of elevating sewage and like fluids containing solidmatter in suspension, which consists in first separating part of thesolid matter from the liquid,

pumping out the separated liquid, automatically controlling the pumpingoperation by the level of the separated liquid, and ejecting theseparated sludge by air pressure and automatically controlling theejecting operation by the level of the incoming sewage beforeseparation.

9. The method of elevating sewage and like fluids containing solidmatter in suspension, which consists in first separating part of thesolid matter from the liquid, pumping out the separated liquid,automatically controlling the pumping operation by the level of theseparated liquid, and ejecting the separated sludge by air pressure andautomatically controlling the ejecting operation both by the pumping0peration for removing the separated liquid and by the level of theincoming sewage before separation.

10. The method of elevating sewage and like fluids containing solidmatter in suspension, which consists in first leading the sewage into awell, leading the liquid and sludge from said well into separatereceptacles, ejecting the sludge from its receptacle, controlling thedischarge of the sludge from its receptacle by the level of the incomingsewage in the well, and discharging the separated liquid from itsreceptacle.

11. The method of elevating sewage and like fluids containing solidmatter in suspension, which consists in first screening the sewage,discharging the screened liquid and unscreened sludge into separatereceptacles, and separately discharging the liquid and sludge from theirrespective receptacles.

12. The method of elevating sewage and like fluids containing solidmatter in suspension, which consists in first screening the sewage,discharging the screened liquid and unscreened sludge into separatereceptacles, and separately discharging the liquid and sludge from theirrespective receptacles int-o a common main at a higher level.

In testimony of which invention, I hereunto set my hand.

ALBERT PRIESTMAN.

Witnesses R. M. KELLY, E. W. SMITH,

copies of this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

